Best Mobile Attribution Platforms - Page 2

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Researched and written by Alanna Iwuh

Mobile attribution platforms are used by companies to determine which campaigns, partners, and channels deliver each mobile app installation. This type of software tracks where users first learn about an app and also connects them with multiple identifiers to measure the pre- and post-install app journey. Unlike attribution software—which can use pixels and cookies to determine how actions, events, or touchpoints during the prospecting and sales processes contribute to the success of their marketing and sales teams—mobile attribution software focuses specifically on the techniques that drove each user to install a mobile application. Mobile apps were created as siloed entities without the concept of cookies, so mobile attribution software uses identifiers like IP addresses, device IDs, device types, browsers, operating systems, etc. Many mobile attribution software providers use the term "people-based" attribution, which expands the scope of attribution by consolidating all the interactions and conversions of each user, regardless of where those activities take place.

Marketers use this type of software to help measure and optimize marketing performance metrics in real time across every marketing channel and ad network. This type of software is based on an attribution window, or conversion window, which is the period of time in which a user’s action (i.e., view or click) preceding app install counts as having an impact on that decision for installation. Mobile attribution software often integrates with software solutions used by sales and marketing teams, including, ad network software, marketing automation software, and CRM software. Marketing teams can also use these solutions in conjunction with mobile marketing software, mobile app optimization software, and mobile app analytics software.

To qualify for inclusion in the Mobile Attribution category, a product must:

• Provide insight into where each mobile application install came from across every marketing channel, device, and advertising network
• Analyze these insights to optimize user acquisition campaigns and marketing performance
• Utilize one or more of the following attribution methods: unique identifier matching, device fingerprinting, open URL with click ID, Google Play Referrer, and probabilistic matching
• Provide dashboards and visualizations for users to understand which activities performed better and why